Loomis Fire Chief Accused of Conflict of Interest

posted by KFBK News - Tom Cutler
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3 years ago

Allegations of double dipping and conflict of interest are dogging a fire department chief in Placer County.

Chief Dave Wheeler heads up the Loomis Fire Protection District, a part-time job he's held for more than five years.

During that time, he's collecting nearly $140,000 a year as a pension he earned. That's on top of the $61,000 the part-time Fire Chief job pays a year.

To muddy the water more, Wheeler is a member of the Loomis Town Council. A couple of activists in Loomis say Wheeler has a conflict of interest, since the Fire District is markedly larger than the town boundaries, he has sway over approving development beyond the city's reach.

They want Wheeler off the job -- be it from the council or the fire protection district.

As for Wheeler's double dipping allegation, the Fire District contends since Wheeler is classified as a temporary employee he's exempt from rules barring double dipping.